


Be Strong

by susies_fandom_wonders



Series: Not Requested Fics [3]
Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: F/M, Unwound Future Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-02-07 09:01:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12837804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/susies_fandom_wonders/pseuds/susies_fandom_wonders
Summary: Claire shouldn't have decided to kiss him, she was fading, she was fading, it would only hurt both of them when she left.But she did anyways.





	Be Strong

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a kiss prompt on Tumblr

This was the worst mistake Claire had ever done. She was certain that Hershel would never find out her identity.

Well, he really hadn’t, but she had seen how he had almost broke down in the streets of Future London after seeing her for the first time. He needed some type of closure, no matter how many old wounds were reopened.

She knew she was going to die soon; her body was already feeling unstable and odd. She had almost thrown up on the way down from Clive’s machine, her stomach giving a rather painful turn. Her mind whirled. She needed to somehow tell Hershel, her Hershel, her loving, gentle Hershel, without breaking his heart too much. She knew this would break his heart. Hers already had.

She watched as Inspector Chelmey approached her lover, as he told him that she hadn’t had any other relations. She watched, tears filling her eyes, as Dimitri approached him next. She watched as Layton’s eyes lit up in recognition… and grief. Claire scrunched her eyes shut, trying to will the tears to go away.

She needed to tell him.

With shaky legs, she walked slowly to him. He seemed to be in deep thought, pulling the hat (the hat she gave him, she realized with a small start -- it was the exactly like she had given it to him -- was it really ten years ago?) over his eyes, a knowing frown on his face. She paused as she reached him, and took a deep breath.

“I’m so glad you’ve taken such good care of that hat, Hershel.” The look of shock he gave her only served to break her heart even more. He opened his mouth, then closed it, his eyes looking over her.

Finally, he muttered out, “What?” The pieces seemed to be falling into place, the look in his eyes only getting sadder and sadder. “What… what are you talking about, Celeste?” Claire felt a warm tear trickle down her cheeks.

“That’s the thing. I’m Claire, Hershel.” The pained grimace he gave her, the way his eyes filled up with tears, was too much. Dimitri appeared behind her then.

“It seemed that the time machine worked for the moment before it exploded.” There was a lengthy pause. Hershel pulled the rim of his hat over his eyes once more. “I’ve been trying to find a way to keep her here. Her body is… unstable. She doesn’t have much time… before she goes back to the moment of the explosion.” Hershel grit his teeth, his body going tense. Claire grabbed the hand at his side, clutching it.

“I’m so sorry.” He turned to look at her then, and her breath hitched. Hershel, her Hershel, was crying, steady streams of tears cascading down his cheeks.

“I… I don’t want to say goodbye again. I can’t….” His voice was broken, and she could see him struggling to stop the tears, stop the grief.

Claire didn’t know what she was thinking, her body was already fading, she could feel it, she couldn’t do this, she couldn’t, as she cupped Hershel’s face in her hands and urged him forward. She placed a soft, gentle kiss on his lips.

She didn’t want to go, she didn’t, as Hershel placed his hands on her shoulders. She couldn’t feel her legs anymore, and she knew they were almost gone. The numbness climbed up her body, her hands losing feeling, then her chest, then her head. She didn’t want to pull away. She did. She managed to whisper one thing before she faded, a soft smile on her lips as Hershel looked at her for any kind of reassurance that this was all a sick joke, she couldn’t be standing in front of him, she was dead.

“I love you. Be strong for me.”


End file.
